Social Problems
#8 Gender Inequality
This week we will discuss different ideas related to gender Inequality. We will examine how we got our current gender roles and how those roles impact inequality in society. We will focus most on men's and women's reactions to to gender expectations in society. We will discuss feminism and the manosphere.
Specifically we will discuss feminism and the manospheres.
Gender is a social construct that organizes roles, behaviors, expectations, and identities based on perceived sex. It shapes how societies define what is considered masculine, feminine, or other, and how people are expected to act, dress, and relate to one another.
Reading:
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Chapter 4
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Chapter 12 Intro textbook
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Reading: The Men’s Rights Movement- https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2015/01/warren-farrell-mens-rights-movement-feminism-misogyny-trolls/
What is the difference between sex and gender
Sex refers to physical or physiological differences between males and females, including both primary sex characteristics (the reproductive system) and secondary characteristics such as height and muscularity. Gender refers to behaviors, personal traits, and social positions that society attributes to being female or male.
Each theory has their own perceptions of the causes and consequences of gender relations and gender inequality. Sociological theories help sociologists to develop questions and interpret data. For example, a sociologist studying why middle-school girls are more likely than their male counterparts to fall behind grade-level expectations in math and science might use a feminist perspective to frame her research. Another scholar might proceed from the conflict perspective to investigate why women are underrepresented in political office, and an interactionist might examine how the symbols of femininity interact with symbols of political authority to affect how women in Congress are treated by their male counterparts in meetings.
Nature or Nurture
In sociology, the nature vs. nurture debate asks whether human behavior, identity, and social differences are shaped more by biology (nature) or by social environment and experience (nurture).
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Nature refers to biological influences such as genetics, hormones, brain structure, and inherited traits. People emphasizing nature argue that some behaviors or differences may be partly innate.
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Nurture refers to social influences such as family, education, culture, peer groups, media, and socialization. Sociology generally places stronger emphasis on nurture because sociologists study how society shapes people’s behaviors and identities.
Where did gender ideas come from?
Important concepts
Gender Roles
Gender Identity
Gender Role Socialization
Social Stratification and Gender Inequality
We will discuss people who don't conform to western ideas about gender and sex.
Exactly how many genders are they?
What does the "Third Sex" refer to?
Feminism and the Monosphere
I will discuss feminism and Feminist Theory in sociology. Feminism is a reaction to gender inequality and Feminist theory is the analysis of this process. The Manosphere is a direct response to feminism and the perceived overtaking of men by women. A major social problem related to the Manosphere is that it may lead to violence against women, bulling, and self harm of men.
The manosphere is a broad umbrella term for loosely connected online communities, influencers, forums, podcasts, and social media spaces focused on men’s issues, masculinity, dating, gender relations, and criticism of feminism. The term does not refer to one single movement—it includes communities that often disagree with each other.
How it started
The roots go back to the men’s movements of the 1970s and 1980s, when some groups began organizing around issues like divorce, fatherhood, custody, and changing gender roles. However, what people usually mean by the “manosphere” today emerged mostly through internet forums, blogs, and message boards in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The term itself became widely used around the late 2000s and early 2010s as social media accelerated growth.
A rough timeline:
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1970s–1980s: Early men’s rights and men’s liberation movements emerge
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Late 1990s–2000s: Online forums, pickup communities, and blogs grow
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2010s: Social media, YouTube, podcasts, and “red pill” content expand rapidly
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2020s: Influencer-driven ecosystems become more mainstream and commercially successful
This is a relatively new topic in the social sciences and it has yet to really make it to major sociology text books. I asked AI to generate a list of sociological books or articles on this topic. If you are interested in a career as a social researcher this is an area ripe for study. These reading are FYI in case you want to read more. We cant cover all of them during the semester.
Men's Rights
Assignment: Discussion Post
Do some research and provide an analysis of the manosphere.
Discuss the Manosphere and Men’s Rights Movement which is an answer to feminism. What do you think about this movement? Can you speculate as to why the ideas emerged. The mother Jones article takes a critical look at the movement and the ideas that sprung from it. “Some scholars argue that the men’s rights movement and the manosphere reflect legitimate concerns about masculinity and social change, while others argue they reinforce gender inequality. Analyze these perspectives using sociological concepts and evidence.” One of the important issues for the "bro's" in the manosphere is the change in gender roles. Is there any evidence of the claims of the Men's Rights movement? “How can sociology help explain the emergence and popularity of the men’s rights movement and the manosphere?”
Analyze = Observe → Break Apart → Find Patterns → Explain Relationships → Draw Conclusions